


Nothing Please Me More Than You

by lululawrence



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Barista Louis, Blow Jobs, Boys Kissing, Fluff, I think that's it - Freeform, M/M, Meet-Cute, Time Travel, only mentions of the other boys though, sorry - Freeform, what else is there, with emotions hah
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-05
Updated: 2017-07-05
Packaged: 2018-11-23 19:38:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11408847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lululawrence/pseuds/lululawrence
Summary: This guy came in every day and without fail said or did something that made Louis pause and puzzle over what it meant.  His accent was American, but it had to be some regional dialect from nearby or something because everything sounded sharper when he spoke.  A little more crisp.  Like he’d worked with one of those dialect coaches that had been used when talking pictures first started being made.Louis shook his head and tried to rid himself of lectures from the film history course he’d taken last semester.  It obviously had no bearing on what was going on with hot dude in the corner.  Still, Louis would love to pick his brain and figure out where he was from.  How his hair always looked so perfect.  If he liked to kiss boys.Or...the one where Louis is a barista and Harry is the hot dude that comes in every day and does nothing except sit in the corner, writing in his notebook, all day long.  But what Louis learns when he sneaks a peek inside the notebook changes everything.





	Nothing Please Me More Than You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [twopoppies](https://archiveofourown.org/users/twopoppies/gifts), [Larrymama15](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Larrymama15/gifts).



> Hiiii!! Happiest of birthdays (belated or otherwise hah!) to darling [Gina](http://twopoppies.tumblr.com) and [Manda](http://alarrylarrie.tumblr.com)! I actually have about zero confidence that this fic is even anywhere close to y'all's wheelhouses and what you truly love, but I hope you can get some enjoyment out of it anyway haha Thank you for being two of the kindest and amazing people!
> 
> This fic was written as part of an ongoing challenge. We each select random numbers and are given a specific emotion from the book 1000 Feelings For Which There Are No Names. To read the other fics written in this challenge, [click here](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/ShortFic_Challenge_For_Which_There_Is_No_Name/works), or you can find the masterpost on tumblr [here](http://lululawrence.tumblr.com/post/159679804243/1000-feelings-for-which-there-are-no-names-prompt).
> 
> My feelings prompt was 987. The serenity of suddenly realizing that there's no one else you want to be. I also based this fic off of the prompt that the amazingly talented [in this gorgeous moodboard](http://letsjustsee.tumblr.com>Rachel</a>%20came%20up%20with%20<a%20href=). Basically, all of this is to say that I wrote this for amazing people based off of prompts from other amazing people and it was betaed last minute by the also amazing [Molly](http://becomeawendybird.tumblr.com), so hopefully this fic lives up to someone's standards. All mistakes are my own, particularly regarding vocabulary that may have been slang still used in the early 1900s, annnnnd yeah. I hope you enjoy it :D
> 
> This fic is a work of FICtion, so please don't think there's anything even slightly close to the truth in here and please don't share it with anyone affiliated with the boys, much less the boys themselves. The title comes from Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros' "Home".

Louis was bored. 

It wasn’t that there wasn’t plenty to do, there was.  There’s always so much to clean up after the morning rush has come through, but he really didn’t want to have to clean up all the spills, especially since Niall dropped a bag of freshly ground dark roast.  That’ll be a bitch to mop up.

Therefore, Louis was doing his damn best to avoid anything that could possibly be related to cleaning by restocking their cups, mugs, and coffee collars.  Again.

“Lou, for the love of God just clean up the spill by the door.  We can’t have people suing us for slipping on a puddle of cold tea.”

Louis turned and saw Liam already turning his back to go back into the office.  Huffing a sigh, Louis reluctantly grabbed the mop and headed over towards the door.  

“It’s hardly tea anyway.  They put so much sugar and milk in, i’m offended on the tea’s account,” Louis muttered under his breath.  

Louis heard a soft snort behind him and he whirled around, hand over his heart.

“Oh my God, I’m sorry.  I didn’t realize anyone was still here,” Louis apologized.  Oh, it was the hot guy who’d started coming in daily just last week.  Louis prided himself on knowing the regulars that came in, and because of that he was also easily able to pick up trends on when newcomers started making Geoff’s part of their routine.

The fact this guy was gorgeous didn’t hurt either.

“Oh.  Yes, sorry.  I didn’t mean to eavesdrop.”  The man’s lips were seriously sinful.  Louis was so distracted he was lucky he even understood what the man was requesting.  “I have to agree with you, if I acknowledge the corn.”

Louis stood there and blinked.  Did...did he just say  _ acknowledge the corn? _  What the hell was that supposed to mean?

“Oh no, that’s an old phrase, isn’t it?  Sorry.  I...was raised by some rather old fashioned parents and I’m still working out what phrases others use and which are more antiquated.”

Louis nodded his head slowly.  “Right.  Well, how’s your black coffee doin’?  Need a top off or anything?”

The man just looked at him with the same expression Louis was pretty sure he had earlier.  This conversation was going perfectly.

“The coffee is perfect, thank you.”

“Alright,” Louis said quietly before turning back to the spill and mopping it up.

Seriously though, this guy came in every day and without fail said or did something that just made Louis pause and puzzle over what it meant.  His accent was American, but it had to be some regional dialect from nearby or something because everything sounded sharper when he spoke.  A little more crisp.  Like he’d worked with one of those dialect coaches that had been used when talking pictures first started being made.

Louis shook his head and tried to rid himself of lectures from the film history course he’d taken last semester.  It obviously had no bearing on what was going on with hot dude in the corner.  Still, Louis would love to pick his brain and figure out where he was from.  How his hair always looked so perfect.  If he liked to kiss boys.  

After Louis put the mop back in the closet, he finally took in the state of the shop and found it to be rather disgusting.  He should go and at least straighten it up.  Maybe Niall would be back from break and ready to clean up his own mess behind the counter at that point.

Louis took his time going around and bussing the tables so the mugs were all collected and back in the dishwasher.  He snuck looks at the man in the corner every opportunity he could, but only found him to be in the same position as always, scribbling away in his notebook.

What did he write in there?  Every day he came in with the morning rush, got a black coffee, sat down in the corner, and then just wrote for hours.  Louis really wasn’t sure how he’d managed to forget about his presence earlier.  Usually he was so attuned to him that he knew every move the man made.  In his defense, the man seemed just as aware of him, because every time Louis would come out to the floor or laugh particularly loud at a joke one of his coworkers made, he could feel the man’s gaze on him.

For real though, the guy just looked around while it was busy, and then when it wasn’t he wrote constantly.  Louis would kill to know what was in that notebook.  

He’d also kill to know the man’s name.  Louis had taken to calling him  _ hot guy _ or  _ lips _ until he knew otherwise, but neither would really work face to face.  He’d almost slipped yesterday and called him by the latter when he was announcing his drink was ready.  Very embarrassing, even if he had caught himself in time.

Louis sighed.  He rang out the cloth he used to wipe down the tables and walked back out to the floor.  At least some of Louis’ glances were met by hot guy.  Every time they were, Louis would smile or tilt his head flirtatiously and the man blushed without fail.  Louis took it as a good sign, but until the man did anything more, Louis wasn’t about to make the first move.  He’d made that mistake too many times before and he was over it.

Halfway through wiping down the tables, the man stood up and went to the toilet, leaving his coveted notebook sitting wide open on the table, pen marking his spot.  Louis chewed his lip as he physically tried to keep himself at the table he was still wiping down.  Louis looked over his shoulder and saw that lips was still in the bathroom, so he tip toed over to where the notebook was just sitting there, tempting him.

Louis snuck a glance and found very neat handwriting filling both pages, but the date that was at the top of both pages made Louis lean forward to look closer and see if it was correct.  It read  _ 1 June 1902/1 June 2017. _

More than a little intrigued now, Louis skimmed a bit that looked like it was describing the clothes and behaviors of various people, particularly couples or family units, until the very end.

_ Even after a week of observation, mostly at the aforementioned coffee shop, I cannot seem to gather the information I most desire.  There are so few conversations due to the fact everyone is so caught up in what Father has told me are called cellular phones that I can hardly make out their thoughts and feelings towards one another.  I’m afraid I’m going to have to conclude my research for the time being and return to my own time.  The only reason I haven’t already is a selfish one, I must confess.  The man who often works at the local coffee shop is most attractive and I feel drawn to him in ways I did not anticipate. _

Louis was rereading the paragraph to see if it really said everything he thought it did when he felt a hand on his shoulder and a deep voice saying, “Please don’t read that.”

Louis shot up and had his second heart attack of the morning.

“My apologies, I did not mean to scare you, but there is...uhm... _ sensitive _ information in there.”

Louis just looked between the man who, now that Louis looked a little closer, was dressed in a strange way, and the notebook.

“There are two dates on the page.”

The man swallowed hard.  “Yes, there are.”

“What’s your name?”

The man sighed and ran a hand through his closely cropped brown hair.  “It’s a long story but...I’m sorry, my name?”

“Yes, your name.  I can’t keep calling you hot guy anymore.”

“But I’m not overwarm?  I’m quite comfortable.”

Louis just stood there and stared at this very confusing man.

“Niall!” Louis yelled, making the man flinch as he reached for the notebook.  “Niall, I’m taking my break!”

“Fine!  I’ll be right out!” came drifting out to them from the back room.  Deciding that was good enough, Louis grabbed the man’s arm and dragged him outside.

“I have fifteen minutes before I have to be back, but Niall just took thirty so I’m sure it’ll be fine.  Now, please tell me your name.”

“I’m still confused why you thought I was so warm when the temperatures are cool for July?  But I’m Harry.”  Harry held his hand out for a handshake, and Louis just looked at it.

“You really aren’t from around here, are you?”

“If I’m going to answer your questions, you could at least be polite enough to respond accordingly.”

Louis just stared into the man’s,  _ Harry’s, _ startling green eyes (Had he ever noticed they were green before?  He may have been too distracted by his lips to realize…) and studied them.  This dude was actually serious.  Fine.

Louis put his hand into Harry’s and said, “Okay, fine.  Sorry.  I’m Louis.  So where are you from?”

Harry squeezed Louis’ hand before letting it go.  Louis felt  the loss more than he should have considering it lasted no more than a few seconds.

“I’m from here, actually.  I grew up just down the road.”

“Sure.  And you were raised by old fashioned parents.  Why do you talk so funny?  Why are there two dates in your notebook?  If you grew up here, why is your accent so different from mine and why don’t I know you?  This town isn’t  _ that _ big.”

Harry rolled his eyes.  At least he wasn’t too weird to do that.  Fuck, he was biting his lip now like he knew that was Louis’ weakness.  Who is this guy and did he have some magical powers over Louis? 

“The two dates are so that I can easily keep track of my days.  I always kept a journal, but to keep note of what time I traveled to and when so I could keep my trips organized later on, I always make note of the date back home as well as the date in the year I’ve traveled to.”

Harry paused after answering that one question, which was perfect, because, “What the everloving fuck?  Do you seriously expect me to believe you?”

“No!  Of course not!  That’s why I didn’t want to tell you!”

Louis started laughing.  What else was he expected to do in this situation.  “Seriously?  You couldn’t have come up with something better than that?”

Harry looked completely caught off guard.  “I’m sorry, I don’t think I understand.  What do you mean?”

Louis kept laughing, and allowed himself to lean forward and place his arm on Harry’s bicep.  Harry’s incredibly firm bicep.  Nice.

“I mean honestly.  I ask you about the two dates and the first story you could think of was that you’re a time traveler?”

Harry’s brows furrowed.  “But, I am?  A time traveler.  I’m not sure what all you read, but if you got past just the dates you have to have seen my references to my own time and the differences I observed.  I didn’t just make that up.  I’ve come to the year 2017 from 1902.”

Oh God.  He actually believed what he was saying!  The guy was an absolutely nutcase.  Made sense.  Louis always did fall for the straight ones or the crazy ones.  

“Sure, dude.  Where’d you get the clothes though?  I thought you were just into dressing up, but these really do look pretty old school.  Did you pick them up in a costume shop or something?  Like, is that how into this ‘time traveler’ thing you are?”

“Oh, yes, that reminds me.  What does ‘dude’ mean?  I have been hearing it quite often over the past week and I have yet to fully understand it’s meaning since it’s used in an entirely different way here than I’ve heard previously.  Am I a dude?”

Louis couldn’t help giggling again at his question.  “You’re really good at this.  Fuck.  Yes, you’re a dude.”

“I think I overheard a woman calling another woman a dude?  Can both a man and a woman be a dude?”

Louis turned to the side to watch people sauntering down the sidewalk, taking advantage of the beautiful weather.  

“Yeah, these days dude is kind of a gender neutral term used by the younger generations,” Louis said with obvious disbelief in his tone.  “So you’re sticking to that?  Yeah, okay.  Well, nice to meet you Harry.  I should get back to work.”

 

*~~***~~*

 

Harry didn’t come back the next day.  Or the day after.  

Louis felt kind of guilty, but at the same time, the guy was an obvious crazy person.  He didn’t need that in his life, especially when it was paired with a set of lips that  _ still _ took over his dreams despite the fact they were connected to someone whose brain obviously had some misfirings going on.

Louis came back from his two days off on a Thursday and found Harry sitting in his usual seat, but this time his hair was far longer.

“Did you get extensions or something?” Louis asked him while he tied his apron on.  He wasn’t technically on for another five minutes, so he could chat with Harry and figure out what brought him back.

Harry looked up from what had to be a different notebook for how worn this one was and asked, “Extensions?  For what?”

Louis waved at his own hair indicating he meant for the curls that now fell almost to his shoulders.  “Your hair was a lot shorter last week.  There’s no way someone can grow their hair that long in a few days.”

“Oh, for me it was a year since I last visited.”

Louis got closer and he truly couldn’t find where his hair should have ended.  Even if he’d gotten extensions or something, Louis thought he’d be able to see the layers from where Harry’s natural hair ended, but he wasn’t finding anything.

“Is this a wig?  Can I feel it?”

Harry tensed a bit, but nodded his head, so Louis reached out his hand and gently ran his fingers through his silky curls and Harry leaned into the touch.  Holy shit, it was his real hair.  That wasn’t a wig and there were no extensions.

Louis collapsed in the seat across from Harry, who was blushing just like he had every time Louis smiled at him last week.  

“You’re actually a fucking time traveler,” he said in surprise.

Harry looked down at his notebook and fiddled with his fingers.  “So, you believe me?”

“I mean,” Louis paused to swallow before continuing, “yeah.  I guess I do.”

At that, the shy smile from last week was gone and Harry smiled broadly enough to show Louis what he’d been missing the entire time: dimples.

“That was far easier than I was expecting.”

Louis snorted.  “I’m sure.  Why’d you come back when I so obviously didn’t believe you?”

Harry at this point was tracing a doodle of what looked like an old fashioned ship with his finger, avoiding making eye contact.  “I just really wanted you to believe me.  There was an emergency back home that needed taking care of, so I wasn’t able to return as soon as I’d hoped, but I never forgot you.”

“Well.  It’s only been a few days for me, but I certainly didn’t forget you either.”

Harry bit his lip a little before opening his mouth and taking a deep breath.  “I’m a bit all-overish, but…”

“A bit what?” Louis asked when Harry paused.  He really did sometimes say the strangest shit.

“Lou!  Are you planning on actually working today or what?”

Louis looked over at Niall, flipped him the bird, and then turned back to Harry.  He was so glad he knew his name and didn’t have to refer to him as  _ hot guy _ or  _ lips _ in his head anymore.  That was starting to feel creepy.

“I guess I’ve gotta get to work.  Will you be around all day again?”  When Harry nodded slowly, Louis smiled.  “Great.  I’m off at four, just a short shift today.  Maybe after we can, uhm, talk some more?”

If it was even possible, Harry brightened even further and his dimples popped out with a huge grin.  “Sounds great.”

Louis nodded before getting up and clocking in for his shift.

Louis was somewhat distracted for his entire shift.  He couldn’t stop thinking about Harry.  His hair and his clothes and the weird words he used and how Louis must be insane but he actually did believe that Harry was a time traveler.  Add to that the fact that he could feel Harry’s eyes watching him and every time Louis looked over at him, he’d give a shy smile before looking away and...well...Louis wasn’t quite ready to get his hopes up just yet.  Probably.

The shift finally ended and Louis dropped his apron into the linens basket and walked over to Harry.  

“So, I live just down the street and my roommate is gone to spend the week with his family.  Wanna come over and we can figure something out for dinner?”

Harry nodded eagerly before quickly closing his notebook, grabbing his pencil, and then standing up to follow Louis out.

They walked in silence for maybe a minute before it seemed Harry couldn’t contain his curiosity anymore.

“What do you do when you aren’t working?  What are the universities like?  How do televisions work?  Why don’t people talk outside of their phones very often?  Are those tight trousers very uncomfortable?”

Louis laughed a bit which caused Harry to pause.  Louis took advantage and said, “Shit, Harry.  Take a breath!”  

Harry’s eyes went wide before he did as Louis asked and visibly took a nice, deep breath.

“Very good.”  Louis smiled.  “And really?  My skinny jeans are important enough for you to ask about?  Have you been checking me out?”

“Have I what?”

Louis stopped walking so he could pop his hip out and tilt his head in order to show off his figure.  “Have you been appreciating my form, Harold?”

Harry blanched a bit and looked around.  “I uhm, I was just…”

Louis immediately felt bad.  “Woah, it’s okay.  Sorry.  I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable.  I just thought…” Louis drifted off.  Maybe Harry had meant something different by what he’d said in his notebook.  “Anyway.  It’s okay if you were and it’s okay if you weren’t.  They are quite comfortable though.  They’re nice and stretchy.  Allow me to best show off my assets as well as give great movement.”

Harry’s stare got a bit more focused, but Louis could see a blush rising on his neck.  Well.  Maybe he wasn’t  _ totally _ misreading the situation.

Louis cleared his throat.  “So, uhm.  I’m just down here.”  Harry remained more quiet this time around, so Louis just let him observe and lead the way to his apartment.  Once they were finally inside, Louis waved his hand towards the two bedroom apartment and said, “Welcome to my humble abode.”

“Thank you,” Harry said quietly.  

Louis closed the door behind them and kicked off his shoes.  “Make yourself at home.  I’ll just check and see what food stuffs I’ve got and get dinner going.  So, what brought you to...uh...now in the first place?”

“I...came to observe in order to find if progress had been made regarding a specific social issue.  I’m afraid my results so far have been inconclusive.”

Louis pulled his head out of the fridge after only finding random leftovers in order to see what he had in the freezer.  “What social issue are you interested in?  Hopefully we’ve made progress over the last hundred some years, but honestly at this point who knows considering who’s president.”

“It was...  Well...”  

Louis pulled out a frozen meal that you can supposedly make entirely in one skillet and set it on the counter before turning to Harry.  Concern and nervousness were radiating off of him.  He was practically hunched into himself, arms folded across his chest, and he was looking everywhere but at Louis.

“Harry?  Just spit it out, babe.  I promise whatever it is I’ll be able to handle it better than you saying you’re a time traveler.” 

Harry let out a startled laugh that sounded somewhat like a hiccup before letting a smile cross his face again.  It was still subdued enough to not let his dimples pop out, but Louis would take what he could get.  Louis arched a brow at him and finally Harry rolled his eyes.

“I came to see if the treatment and overall social regard for those who feel and act upon homosexual attraction.  I believe that wording is still understood?  Goodness, I hope I’m not offending or being scandalous by actually speaking this out loud.  It’s not really...spoken of...where I come from.”

Louis blinked at Harry.

“You...let me get this straight.  You actually came to 2017 to see if those who identify as something other than straight are treated and thought of in general in a better light than they were in...what was it?  1905?”

“Yes.  And when I met you last week it was 1902, but it’s now 1903.”

“Right.  Uhm.  Well, I mean things aren’t all peachy and great or anything, but we’ve fought pretty damn hard and are finally getting some representation.  It’s finally legal to marry someone of the same sex in the United States and there are other countries all over the world legalizing it as well.  I’m an out gay man who  _ mostly _ doesn’t have to fear for his well being because of that, so.  Yeah.  There’s still shit going on, Harry, but overall?  We’re doing far better than we were a hundred years ago, yeah.”

Harry’s face sagged and his body seemed to lose all strength as Louis had spoken.  He’d started off hunched over and unsure, but Louis saw his shoulders sagging and tears pouring out of his eyes and he crumpled to the floor, sobbing.

“Oh my God.  Fuck.  Harry?  Are you okay?”  Louis rushed over to him and did what was second nature thanks to all of his siblings.  He wrapped Harry in a hug, held him tight, and soothingly rubbed his back.  “It’s okay.  It’s alright.  Shhhh.”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Harry whispered through his tears, but he held to Louis tightly.  Louis settled himself so his legs weren’t folded beneath him, rather they were splayed out to the sides and Harry was a ball of limbs clinging to him and crying into his shoulder.

“Nothing to be sorry about.  It’s okay.”

Harry finally got his breathing and his tears under control enough that he felt like he could lean away from Louis.  His eyes were red and his cheeks splotchy, but he was still the most beautiful man Louis had ever seen.

“Sorry.”  Harry took another deep breath as he wiped his eyes.  “I hadn’t allowed myself to hope and after what I had observed, I wasn’t sure anything had changed.  Thought it was still something looked down on.  That it was known it happened, but that it was still an ugly secret to be hidden away.  Hearing you say all of that…”  

Louis watched as tears began to flow down his cheeks again.  Harry pressed his lips together and shook his head, but the look of wonder in his eyes made Louis feel like he was floating.

“I didn’t expect it to hit me so hard.  That someone like...like me...could live openly and happily in this time.  Oh my God.  I said it.  I just said it out loud!  I’d written it down when I told my sister before burning it so there wouldn’t be evidence.  I’ve never actually said it before.  It feels incredible!”

Louis was crying himself at this point.  “Thank you.  For sharing that with me.”

“I’m so happy to know that in the future people can be themselves openly if they so choose,” Harry whispered.

Louis smiled and wiped away his tears.  “Well, now we have definitely worked up an appetite.  Let’s get cooking.”

Louis taught Harry the finer points of modern technology with regards to kitchen appliances and his favorite was the freezer.

“You’re telling me that I could put fresh fruit in this freezer box and in  _ months _ it would still be okay to eat?  And if I did the same with meat, it wouldn’t be dried out, but just as moist as before?”

Louis stirred the orange chicken in the sauce as it finished heating up.  “I mean, the quality isn’t quite as high as it would be fresh, but yeah.  Generally speaking, if it is packaged correctly, that’s right.”

“That as well as the toilets are worth coming to live here permanently,” Harry said in awe.

Louis chuckled.  “Have you had a warm shower yet?  I’m unsure how traveling works.  Were you staying here at night when you came earlier, or did you go back for the evening?”

“Travelling takes a bit too much energy to go back just for a night’s rest.  I was put up in a Bed and Breakfast that is now located where my home used to be.  That was great luck.  I just got back today, so I haven’t secured myself a room anywhere yet, but no.  I was wary of how the bathroom contraptions worked, I had seen early versions of your toilets, but nothing like these and had learned the basics on the sink, so I just gave myself a quick bath using a small cloth provided.  But a shower?  Is that what the spout high above the tub is called?”

Louis turned off the heat under the skillet and turned to Harry.  “Yeah, it’s called a showerhead.  We have a pretty nice one here, I’ll have to show you later.  Let’s get some food in you first though.  Were you planning on staying here tonight?  Or were you planning to, uh, go back tonight now that you have the information you were looking for?”

Louis plated up the food and was grabbing the utensils to eat with when Harry gently wrapped his hand around Louis’ wrist.  Louis looked up at him and Harry just searched his eyes.

“I didn’t only come back for that information, Louis.”

Louis’ heart raced at the soft way Harry said his name and the sparks his touch was causing along his wrist.

“No?” Louis asked.

Harry shook his head and stepped a little closer.  “I was really hoping I’d get a chance to speak with you some more.”

“You traveled through time just for the chance to speak with me again?  Harry, I treated you like shit and laughed in your face when I last saw you.”  Louis turned so he faced Harry and there was little more than a sliver of space between them.  Louis couldn’t help looking at his lips and imagining what they might feel like on his.  It didn’t seem out of the realm of possibility that it might happen now.

Harry nodded and came closer.  “I felt drawn to you from the first moment I met you.  I didn’t know if you felt the same, I still don’t really, but I just had to have the chance to see you again.  Do you feel this?  The...need to be near you?  It’s gotten stronger the more I spend time with you.”

Louis licked his lips and found Harry’s eyes fall to follow the movement.  “I...maybe.  I had the hardest time focusing during work today.”

Harry smiled, no, he  _ smirked, _ and holy shit.  He had moves and had been holding them back the entire time.

“I may have noticed.  Was that because of me?”

Louis rolled his eyes and leaned back onto the counter, pulling Harry forward with him.  “As if you don’t know.  You kept looking at me through those eyelashes and smiling at me.  I don’t think anyone would focus with that kind of attention on them for the entirety of five hours.”

Harry’s nose squished up as he tried and failed to hide a grin, and Louis smiled back at him in fondness.

“So uhm,” Harry stepped even closer so they were now chest to chest and Louis had to tilt his head ever so slightly to keep their eye contact.  “Do you think we should...” Louis almost short circuited because Harry leaned forward and his breath ghosting over Louis’ neck caused goosebumps to erupt all over when he whispered, “...eat this incredible smelling meal you’ve prepared?”

Louis let out a shaky breath and smacked Harry on the shoulder.

“Dick.  But yes, we should.  What would you like to drink?  I think we have water, beer, or water.”

“I’ll take water, thank you.”

They settled in at the small table Louis and Stan used for their kitchen and while it was simple, Louis felt so incredibly comfortable and happy with Harry sitting across from him.  It was the most obscure, yet interesting conversation Louis had ever had.

“What did you say this was called?  It is delicious.”

“Orange chicken.  I think technically it is a Chinese dish, but this is incredibly Americanized,” Louis laughed.  “It’s pretty good for just a skillet meal though.”

Louis rinsed their dishes and set them into the dishwasher.  Looking around to be sure he hadn’t missed anything, he found the counters and stove absent of any lurking dirty dishes and closed the dishwasher.

“So, you don’t have a place to stay tonight?”

Harry shook his head.  “Not yet.  I had inquired as to whether they had rooms available still at the Bed and Breakfast, but I haven’t formalized anything as of yet.”

“Stay here.  Like I said before, my roommate’s gone for the week and he wouldn’t care anyway.  The couch isn’t the most comfortable, but it can do well enough.”  Louis secretly would never let Harry sleep on their couch, but he didn’t want to seem like he was coming on too strong.  He had no idea what kind of experience Harry had, if any, considering where he was from.

Harry’s eyes widened.  “Are you sure I wouldn’t be too much of an inconvenience?”

Louis rolled his eyes.  “Please.  You are staying because of me.  I can hardly send you elsewhere.  Come on.  I’ll give you the tour.”  Louis stepped out of the kitchen and into their living room.  “This is the living room.  It’s where Stan and I spend most of our time at home.  Down here is the super fancy restroom with the excellent shower, to the left is Stan’s room, and here,” Louis opened his own door with a flourish, “is mine.  Ta da!  End of the tour.”

Harry giggled and Louis couldn’t believe his luck.  Of all the times for him to end up, of all the coffee shops, he found Louis.  It couldn’t have been just luck or a coincidence.  There had to be something bigger at play.

“Louis?”

“Hm?” Louis turned to face him rather than observing his fairly clean room and found Harry biting his lip again as he stared at Louis.

“Would you mind...Is it okay if…”  Harry hid his face in his hands as he mumbled, “Can I kiss you?”

Louis just stood there and waited for confirmation that he heard correctly, but none came.  Louis stepped forward and pulled Harry’s hands away from his face.  Searching Harry’s eyes, Louis asked, “Have you ever done this before?  With a man?”

Harry shook his head.  “It’s a very small town.  People talk.  I can’t chance even asking those who are more...inclined...in that way.”

Louis smiled before releasing Harry’s hands from his own and lifting his hand up to his cheek.  “Let me know if I do anything that makes you uncomfortable.  Okay?”

Harry’s eyes were wide, chest rising and falling rapidly, but he nodded quickly.  “Yes.  Okay.  Yes.”

Louis smiled a bit, before leaning forward and closing his eyes right as their lips met.

He started with just a simple, chaste kiss.  He didn’t want to move too fast and scare Harry.  This could possibly be his only opportunity to experience this, and Louis wanted to do everything he could to make it as incredible as possible.

All his plans were thrown out the window when Harry lifted his hands to Louis’ hair.  His fingers wove through the strands, and Louis couldn’t help moaning a bit.  Louis’ hands had dropped to Harry’s shoulders, and he could feel him tensing up, but Louis just pulled him closer into him, and it was then that Harry tilted his head just a bit to the left and their lips slotted together perfectly.

Harry’s lips moved a bit stiffly, probably because he wasn’t sure what exactly he was doing with them, but for a first kiss it wasn’t bad at all. 

Okay, that was an absolute understatement.  This first kiss of Harry’s was changing Louis’ entire world.

Louis opened his mouth a bit and tentatively licked Harry’s lips.  Harry gasped at the sensation, but soon he was sloppily licking into Louis’ mouth in a way that should not have been as sexy as it was.  It seemed even when he was showing his lack of expertise, Harry somehow made Louis feel incredible.

Harry’s hands began to roam Louis’ body, so Louis allowed his to do the same.  Louis had just pulled back in order to catch a breath when Harry’s hands found his bum and gave a squeeze just as he latched onto Louis’ neck.

“Oh, God, Harry,” Louis groaned.  “You’re sure you’ve never done this before?”

Between nips and sucks right behind Louis’ ear, Harry said, “I swear it.  Though I’ve been dreaming of everything I would love to do with you if I ever had a chance for the past year.”

“Oh shit,” Louis whispered.  “Fuck, what did you think of?”

“I wanted to kiss you, and feel your facial hair against my cheek.  I hoped to be able to run my hands down your sides to feel your curves, like this,” and Harry paused to run his hands up and down Louis’ sides, causing shivers to course up his back.  “I dreamt of your bum and touching it and biting it.”

“Fuck,” Louis whimpered as he dropped his head to Harry’s shoulder.

“I also had seen some of your tattoos,” Harry said as he gestured towards Louis’ arms.  “I want to see all of them.  Memorize all of them.  Do you have more?  Do they cover your entire body?  I want to know.  And I want you to see my body too.  And...I…”  Here, Harry paused and closed his eyes before blurting out, “I dreamed what it would be like to have your mouth on me.”

Louis licked his lips considering.  “Are you ready for that?  I don’t want to rush you, but if this is your only chance, I also want to help you experience as much as you can while you can.”

Harry’s words had set Louis’ entire being on fire.  Louis enjoyed sex, but being with someone had never felt anything close to how he felt right now with Harry, and they’d hardly begun.  He truly hoped Harry was as into this as he was and that he was ready for everything he’d just mentioned.  Louis wanted to make the most of whatever time he had with Harry before he had to return.

“Louis.”  Harry said his name with such conviction that Louis looked up from his chest where he’d been running his hands and back up to his eyes.  They were dark and gorgeous but there was also a surety Louis hadn’t seen in them before.  “I’ve been thinking of the possibilities for a year now.  I am ready.  If you are willing, then please.   _ Please?” _

Louis nodded quickly and backed up so he could more easily remove his clothes.  “Take off your clothes?  Then we can get on the bed and take our time doing whatever it is you want to do.”

They both removed all of their layers as quickly as possible and were soon on the bed, both laying on their sides facing each other.  Harry’s hand was ever so softly running up and down Louis’ arm, side, shoulder...wherever he could easily touch from his position.

“Can you lie on your back?  Let me see all of you?  Touch you?”

“Yeah.  Okay.”  Louis eased back and tried not to feel vulnerable.  Harry had likely seen other naked men before, but not like this.  Not in this context.  Louis felt honored, but it was also a little nerve-wracking.

“You’re so perfect,” Harry said, his voice weighted with emotion.  “I’ve considered so many different times how you might look like this, but you’re even more lovely than I could have imagined.  How is that possible?”

If anyone else were to say those words to Louis, he’d probably find them creepy.  Harry though, with his earnestness and straightforward honesty just made him feel beautiful.  His hands roamed and touched every possible surface starting with his neck and shoulders to his collarbones and chest piece, all the way down, only avoiding the one area that by now Louis so badly wanted him to touch and explore.

Everywhere that Harry caressed and studied was imbued with an energy that filled Louis’ entire body.  He had felt like he was on fire before, but now he felt like he was made of something even more powerful and electric.  Like he could do anything he wanted in that very moment, because Harry had given him the ability to do so, simply by being so focused on him.

Harry leaned forward and placed a kiss to Louis’ lower belly before he said, “Turn over, Lou.”

Shaking a bit, Louis did as instructed, and Harry continued his worship of Louis’ body.  This time, however, he began to use his mouth as well.  His lips trailed kisses down his spine while his hands covered the rest of Louis’ skin all the way down to his ass.

“The most glorious bum I could ever see.”

He kissed it gently on one cheek before going to the other and sucking to create a mark.

“You’re so beautiful.  All of you.  I know I keep saying it, but you really are.”

If Louis’ face wasn’t already buried in a pillow in order to survive the experience, he would have turned to it now.  He could feel the heat from his flushed cheeks, but he’d never been so pleased before either.

It was then that Harry leaned over Louis before grinding down on him, his cock placed nice and snug against Louis’ bum, causing both of them to groan.

“This is the most incredible I’ve ever felt, Louis.  You’re amazing.”

“Hey, Harry?” Louis asked, a bit breathless from everything he was feeling at the moment.

“Yeah?”

“I’d really,  _ really _ love to suck you now.”

Harry spoke as he rolled off of Louis; “I swan, this has to be a dream.  Am I dreaming?”

“Once again, I dunno what you’re talking about fully, but this isn’t a dream.  Now, relax and enjoy.”

Louis kissed down Harry’s chest and licked at the deep brown hair that lead down to his groin before rubbing his nose along the crease between his leg and his torso.

“You smell amazing,” Louis commented.  “Is that lavender?”

Louis began to lick around the area, just to tease a bit, and Harry said, “I bathed with lavender water this morning, yes.”  

Louis was impressed his voice only cracked once.  The first time Louis received a blowie, he was pretty much rendered speechless.  Then again, he hadn’t really started yet.

Louis then gripped the base of Harry’s dick, and stroked up a couple of times.  He was a good size, and Louis was already excited to feel the weight of him in his mouth.  Smirking up at Harry, who was watching him with ever widening eyes, Louis licked up the underside of his dick with the flat of his tongue before sucking the tip into his mouth.

Harry groaned and threw his head back.  “I don’t think this is going to last very long,” he panted out as Louis bobbed his head, moving his tongue along the underside of his dick and sucking hard as he pulled up.  Just in case this was the only blow job Harry ever got to experience, Louis wanted to do his best to make sure it was as good as possible.

Louis’ mind cleared and all he could think about was how Harry felt and tasted and focused on twisting his hand at just the right moment along the base as he licked over the tip.  Right as Louis moved his hand down to cup Harry’s balls, Harry let out a cry and he began to come.  Louis stilled and focused on swallowing as best he could.

“Oh my, I’m sorry.  I uhm, you just...sorry.  Sorry, wow.”  Harry had his arm flung over his eyes and he was still breathing heavily as he continued to spew out babbled apologies.  Louis smirked a bit as he wiped away what had escaped from his chin.

“Harry.  It’s okay.  A bit of a warning is always polite, but this was your first time.  It’s alright.”

“Great golly, that was the best feeling I’ve ever experienced in my entire life.  Can’t kick about that.”

Throwing himself down beside Harry, Louis propped his head up on his hand and said, “You truly say the strangest shit.  I don’t get you half the time, but okay.”

“You swear like a sailor, but okay.”

Louis watched as Harry’s long torso shone in the waning light coming through his curtains from the window.  It must actually be getting late if the sun was finally going down, and he had the early shift the next day.  Louis really should probably be getting to bed.

“Hey, Harold.  Want me to show you the wonders of a warm shower?”

 

*~~***~~*

 

As they lay in bed together that night, Harry explained how his time traveling abilities worked.  They’d been passed down from his father’s side, and both he and his sister could travel.  She chose not to, it made her feel sick, but Harry had taken to it easily once the ability presented itself when he was eighteen.

At first he went back in time to watch scenes from his own life over again, but as time went on, he realized  there was more that he needed to know in order to live a life at peace with himself as a homosexual.  It had taken him a few years, but with the help of his loving sister, he had come to accept who he was. He said that the hope that he felt from knowing that future generations would be able to have the knowledge that not everyone despised them because of who they loved allowed him to finally be happy with who he was.

Louis, for his part, only cried a little bit in hearing that he helped Harry get to that place by simply telling him how far they’d come, despite there being so much more they needed to do.

The next morning, Harry explained that he could only stay one more night before needing to return home.  He had many duties to perform at the moment, and could not go missing as long as he had before, but he promised he would return as soon as he was able.

For Louis that was only a couple of days.  For Harry it was almost a month.  Eventually, they found a rhythm that worked for them, and Harry would show up on weekends.  To Louis, he was seeing him every week, but Harry changed much faster than Louis did.  After this arrangement lasted for a couple of months, Harry showed up one Wednesday night, soaking wet despite the fact it was a very dry October evening.

“Harry!  Come in, what’s going on?  Is everything okay?”

Harry shivered and stepped inside the door, but went no further.  “I don’t want to get your carpets wet, Lou.  Can you get me a towel?”

“Course, babe.  Hang on.”

Louis ran to the linen closet and grabbed two of his largest towels to help Harry dry off.  Once he had stopped shaking and Louis had him dressed in some warm and dry sweatpants and an old hoodie, Harry began to talk.

“Lou, I need to say some things and I’m going to need you to let me get it all out before you respond, okay?”

Harry sounded more serious and more nervous than he had since the first night they’d spent together, and if Louis was being honest, it scared him a little bit.  Louis was getting to where he was considering telling Harry he loved him, but this sounded like it could be a game changer.

“Okay, sure.  Let’s just go to my room first, though.  Stan’s due to be back from work any minute.”

Harry followed him to his room and as soon as the door was shut, Harry collapsed on the bed.  

“I know for you we’ve only been doing this for a couple of months, what, three months?  Is that right?”

“Two months and twenty six days, but who’s counting?” Louis muttered.  It was apparently loud enough Harry still heard, because already some of the tension in his body was melting away.

“For me it’s been almost two years.  Two years since that first night I spent with you, which means I’ve known you for three years.  And so please just know that for me, I’m not making any rash decisions.  I’ve tried holding out, but I can’t do it anymore.  I’ve already discussed the possibility with my father and sister, and while we aren’t sure of the effects this could have on me, they agree it might be best as well.”

“What effects?” Louis asked, almost afraid to hear his answer.

“The effects of staying in your time.”  Louis’ eyes grew wide and his jaw dropped open.  He promised though, so he didn’t say anything yet and just allowed Harry to finish his thoughts.  

Harry stood up and began to pace Louis’ room.  “I just...other than my family, I truly have nothing for me in my time, Lou.  And I feel so much more myself when I’m here.  I know I have a lot to learn and I’d need to figure out a way to be able to earn money and  build a life here, but if you’ll have me, then I really would love to stay here.  With you.”

“With me?  Forever?”

“Yes.  I mean, I don’t have to actually live with you.  I can find my own place once I figure out how to fund myself and all, but if you are okay with this, then my plan is to return on Friday, as I always do, but this time it will be permanently.”  When Louis didn’t answer immediately, Harry stopped his pacing and looked into Louis’ eyes, imploring.  “What do you think?”

Louis stared at Harry and his mind reeled.  Harry could possibly be here always.  Forever.  He wouldn’t have to worry about him in the 1900s, so far away and entirely unreachable.  He could have him here, always within reach, just a text away.  Speaking of which…

“We’re definitely going to have to get you a phone.”

Harry bent his knees as he pumped his fists in the air.  “That means you’re okay with this, yes?  This sounds like a plan that you are okay with?”  

Louis nodded his head, tears forming in his eyes.  God, he loved Harry so much, and he could now have him with him forever.

“Are you sure?  I mean, your family.  That’s kind of a crazy big deal, Harry.  I don’t want you to have to give them up.”

“I can still go back and visit from time to time, we think.  I should still be okay.  But Louis?  I love you.  And I want to be with you always, not just a few days here and there.”

Louis covered his mouth with his hand and began to cry again.  “I love you, too.”

Louis launched himself into Harry’s arms and they both cried, holding onto each other as tight as they could.

“If you even try to live somewhere other than this apartment though, the deal is off.  You can go right back to 1904 or whatever year it is for you right now.”

“So, come live with you?” Harry asked, his eyes shining and his smile so bright, Louis thought it could probably light their entire city.

“Yeah.  I should probably ask Stan first, but he’s been asking when he’ll start seeing you around more than just the weekends anyway, so it probably won’t come as much of a surprise.”

“Okay.  Hey, Louis?”

“Yeah?”

Harry didn’t say anything, he simply wrapped Louis up in another all encompassing hug, and Louis simply knew; forever had already begun.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Please leave kudos and, if you enjoyed this, a nice comment as well :) If you particularly love me, you could also reblog my fic post found [here](http://lululawrence.tumblr.com/post/162629276371/nothing-please-me-more-than-you-by-lululawrence).
> 
> Interested in helping support charities with fanfic? If you are, I could write a fic for you! Check out the info [here on Tumblr](https://1dfanworksforcharity.tumblr.com/post/174494969280/1d-fanworks-for-charity-auctions-for-lululawrence).


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